In patient care settings, such as in a hospital, individuals must physically observe the patient periodically, which may include adjusting monitoring or other equipment connected to the patient. For example, a nurse may have to periodically enter the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a hospital to take readings and make device adjustments, which require the nurse to physically touch the device(s) in the ICU.
Hospital borne infections (or pathogens) may be transferred by touch, such as the point of contact with the device(s) in the ICU. The patients in the ICU are among the most vulnerable patient types due to the serious nature of their condition. Accordingly, these touches can lead to the transfer of infections, which may result in complications for the patient or even death. In particular, Healthcare-Associated Illnesses (HAIs), namely illnesses picked up while receiving care for some other condition, result in many deaths each year. This adds significant costs to healthcare.
In order to reduce HAIs, such as in the ICU, systems for cleaning or providing improved personal hygiene are conventionally used. For example, in some ICUs, a decontamination area is used for individuals entering and leaving the ICU. However, these approaches are often not effective.